Best Time to Visit Mahabaleshwar: June to October

Peak Season: August to September

State: Maharashtra | District: Satara

At a distance of 54 km from Satara, 123 km from Pune, 177 km from Kolhapur, 243 km from Mumbai, and 377 km from Panaji, Mahabaleshwar is a popular tourist places in India and a town in Satara district of Maharashtra. It lies at an altitude of 1,353 m in the Western Ghats range of India. It is one of the best places to visit near Pune & Mumbai and among the top Places to visit in Maharashtra.

This pretty hill station is often referred as the queen of hill stations in Maharashtra. It offers panoramic view of the plains with the imposing sloppy peaks and surrounding woods. Mahabaleshwar constitutes three villages - Malcolm Peth, Old Mahabaleshwar and some part of the Shindola village. Arthur's Seat, Lingmala Waterfall and Pratapgad Fort are among the must include places in your Mahabaleshwar tour packages.

Present day Mahabaleshwar has come in to existence in the year 1829-30, when it became the summer capital of Bombay presidency during the British Raj. Earlier, it was known as Malcolm Peth and the first historical mention of Mahabaleshwar dates back to 1215 CE when the King Singhan of Devgiri visited Old Mahabaleshwar. He built a small temple and water tank at the source of the river Krishna. In the 16th century, the Maratha family of Chandarao ruled over the city. Later, in the 17th century, Jaoli and Mahabaleshwar were taken over by Shivaji Maharaj, who constructed the Pratapgarh Fort in 1656 CE. The city also witnessed the imprints of the British, who included the destination in the territory of the Raja of Satara in 1819.

Mahabaleshwar is the source of the Krishna River that flows across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The legendary source of the river is a spout from the mouth of a statue of a cow in Panch Ganga Temple in Old Mahabaleshwar. Four other rivers also flow from here, before they merge into the Krishna; these are Koyana, Venna (Veni), Savitri and Gayatri.

Mahabaleshwar attracts hordes of tourists for its lovely views, beautiful landscapes and pleasant temperatures. There are many tourist attractions in Mahabaleshwar like forts, temples, lakes, and many more. Pratapgarh Fort, Venna Lake, Mahabaleshwar Temple, Krishnabai Temple, Lingamala Falls, Tapola, Panchgani are some important tourist spots in Mahabaleshwar. There are several viewpoints that are strategically located to capture the panoramic views created by the majestic Sahyadri Mountains and deep valleys. Arthur's Seat, Wilson Point, Kate's Point, Elephant head Point, Connaught Peak and Bombay Point are popular viewpoints. Mahabaleshwar is famous for cultivation of strawberries and mulberries.

Pune International Airport is the nearest airport, which is about 132 km from Mahabaleshwar and has daily flights from Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Kolkata and Goa. Satara is the nearest rail head, which is about 60 km from Mahabaleshwar. It has trains from Goa, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hubli, Kochi, Kolhapur, Tirunelveli, Mysore, Pondicherry, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Gorakhpur, Ajmer and Jodhpur. Mahabaleshwar is well connected by road with Mumbai, Pune, Satara, Bangalore, Goa and Shirdi.

Mahabaleshwar has a moderate climate throughout the year and can be visited any time of the year. However, the best time would be from June to October.

Top 11 Places to Visit in Mahabaleshwar

At a distance of 7 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Kate's Point and Elephant's Head Point are the most picturesque viewpoints of Mahabaleshwar in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is among the best tourist places in Mahabaleshwar.

Kate's Point area has 3 points in total; they are Kate's Point, Echo Point and Needle Hole Point or Elephant's Head Point. Kate's Point is named after the then British governor Sir John Malcolm's daughter. The original name of the point is Nake Khind and is situated at an altitude of 1290 m. Dhom dam as well as peaks of Kamalgadh, Pandavgadh and Mandardeo can be seen from Kate's Point.

Elephant's Head Point or Needle Hole Point is another popular vantage point in Mahabaleshwar, situated next to the Kate's Point. The overhanging cliffs of this point are similar to the head of an elephant and its trunk. Thus the point got its name as the Elephant's Head Point. One .....

At a distance of 6 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, 116 km from Pune & 252 km from Mumbai, Lingmala Waterfall, one of the best places to visit in Mahabaleshwar, is located at top of the Venna Valley in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the famous tourist places near Pune in monsoon and also one of the popular waterfalls in Maharashtra that can be visited as part of Mahabaleshwar packages.

Situated at an altitude of 1278 m, Lingmala Waterfall is formed by Venna River. There are two waterfalls, one mini waterfall and the main waterfall which falls from a height of 500 feet. The mini waterfall is safe & suitable for swimming and playing in the water. One has to walk for 30 minutes to reach the viewpoint of main waterfall from the mini falls. There is no way to get into the water at main falls .....

At a distance of 13 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand and 7 km from Old Mahabaleshwar, Arthur Seat Point is the most popular viewpoint in Mahabaleshwar and among the top places to visit in Mahabaleshwar.

Arthur Seat Point is located at a height of 1340 m and is surrounded by the deep Savitri gorge on one side and a lush green plateau on the other side. Popularly called as Queen of the Points, Arthur Seat Point has been named after Sir Arthur Mallet who was the first man to build a house at this point. Arthur Seat is the only point that clearly shows the geological contrast between the Konkan and the Deccan territories.

Arthur Seat Point area has 6 points in total, Arthur's Seat Point, Echo Point, Hunter Point, Tiger Spring Point, Window Point and Malcom Point. The barren deep Savitri valley on the left and lush green Jor valley on the right extends a mesmerizing view to the seat. Moving step .....

At a distance of 11 km from Mahabaleshwar and 7 km from Panchgani, Mapro Garden is a garden situated at Gureghar on Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani road in Satara district of Maharashtra. A trip to Mapro Garden is one of the top things to do in Mahabaleshwar.

Mapro Garden is very popular tourist spot in Mahabaleshwar and is known for their strawberry produce. The name Mapro is short form of Mahabaleshwar Products. Mapro was founded in 1959 by Mr. Kishore Vora and it is very popular in Maharashtra state for its processed fruit products like fruit crushes, squash, etc. Mapro has also diversified into products like chocolates, honey, gulkand and many more.

The major highlight of Mapro Garden is the chocolate factory within the premises. Visitors can also see a small nursery full of beautiful flowers and plants. There are various counters selling different Mapro products. Tourists can buy .....

This lake was constructed in 1842 by Sri Appa Saheb Maharaja, who was the ruler of Satara. Surrounded by lush greenery, Venna Lake has area of about 28 acres having periphery around 7-8 km and is fed by repeated springs. It is very popular spot among honeymooners tour as well as families tour. Pratap Singh Garden is situated on the banks of Venna Lake.

Tourists can enjoy a boat ride in the lake or a horse ride next to the lake. Only Row boats are available for the tourists. Apart from boating and horse riding, fun fair games like toy train, merry-go-round are popular with children. A number of small eateries line the banks of the lake.

At a distance of 20 km from Mahabaleshwar, 140 km from Pune & 221 km from Mumbai, Pratapgad, also known as Pratapgarh, is a large hill fort located in Satara district of Maharashtra. The fort lies at an altitude of 1080 m and is built on a spur which overlooks the road between the villages of Par and Kinesvar. It is among most scenic places in Mahabaleshwar and one of the best forts near Pune. It is also one of the best heritage places to visit near Mumbai and another popular attraction not to miss in a Mahabaleshwar packages.

Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj had commissioned Moropant Pingle, his prime minister, to commence the construction of this fort for the purpose of defending Nira and the Koyna River banks, and also to guard the Par pass. The construction of the fortress was completed in the year 1656. The fort stands as .....

At a distance of 6 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Mahabaleshwar Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated in the Old Mahabaleshwar in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the popular Mahabaleshwar tourist places.

Mahabaleshwar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the important pilgrimage sites for Hindus. The temple was built by Chandarao More in 16th century and is a model of the Hemadant architectural style of South India. The Mahabaleshwar hills have been named after Lord Mahabali, whose name stands a symbol of strength.

The temple is enclosed by a 5 feet wall and is divided into two areas, inner room and outer room. The sanctum sanctorum has Shiva linga made of black stone, which is 500 years old swayambhu lingam. This self-originated lingam is in the shape of Rudraksha and is called Mahalingam.

At a distance of 300 m from Mahabaleshwar Temple and 6 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Krishnabai Temple is an old temple situated few meters away from Panch Ganga Temple in Old Mahabaleshwar. It is among the famous Mahabaleshwar tourist places.

Krishnabai Temple is supposed to be source of the Krishna River. The temple was built in 1888 by a ruler of Ratnagiri on a hilltop overlooking the Krishna valley. The temple has a Shiva lingam and a beautiful statue of Goddess Krishna. A small stream of the river flowing from a cow-face (gomukh) falls in a Kund or water tank which is the source of might River Krishna. Stone carved columns and ceilings are the special characteristics of this temple.

The temple also offers enchanting views of the Krishna valley and surrounding countryside. Behind Panch Ganga temple, there is a small and well-marked trail that leads to Krishnabai temple. It is not visited .....

At a distance of 24 km from Satara, 37 km from Mahabaleshwar and 50 km from Panchgani, the Kaas Plateau, also known as the Kas Pathar, is a vast volcanic lateritic plateau situated in Satara district of Maharashtra. It falls under the Sahyadri Sub Cluster and is among the top places to visit near Satara.

Popularly known as the Plateau of Flowers, Kaas Plateau is one of the famous tourist attractions in Maharashtra and also a popular picnic spot among nature lovers during late monsoons. The plateau is situated at an altitude of 1200 m and is approximately 1,000 hectares in area. The name 'Kaas' originates from the Kaasa tree.

Kaas Plateau was formed by volcanic activities and is covered by a thin soil cover as a result of which, no vegetation thrives in the region. This area comes under very high rainfall zone. Due to this, the flora and fauna of the region is quite unique. These unique ecological features make Kaas one of the hotspots of biodiversity.

At a distance of 6 km from Kas Pathar, 28 km from Satara, 41 km from Mahabaleshwar, 53 km from Panchgani, 144 km from Pune & 299 km from Mumbai, Vajrai Falls is a picturesque waterfall located near Kas Flower Valley in Satara district of Maharashtra. This is one the most spectacular waterfalls in Maharashtra and also one of the top monsoon tourist places near Pune.

Vajrai Falls is a three tier waterfalls cascading down from a height of around 853 feet (260 m). This is a perennial waterfall but is very spectacular during monsoons. People from different parts of Maharashtra flock to this falls during the monsoons to watch the beautiful flow of the stream. The birthplace of Urmodi River is believed to start from the Vajrai Waterfalls. There are many small caves near Vajrai Falls which can be visited along with the falls.

The waterfall is situated near Bhambavali village in Satara district. One can reach the falls by using personal vehicle .....

At a distance of 18 km from Mahabaleshwar, 48 km from Satara, 104 km from Pune and 254 km from Mumbai, Panchgani also called Paachgani is a famous hill station and municipal council in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the top hill resorts near Pune & among the best places to visit near Mumbai. Panchgani is one of the popular Tourist places in Maharashtra and among the must include places in your Maharashtra tour packages.

Situated at an altitude of 1334 m, Panchgani is bordered by Wai, Bavdhan and Nagewadi dam in the east, Gureghar in the west, Khingar and Rajpuri in the south and Dhom dam in the north. Panchgani is nestled at middle of five hills in the Sahyadri mountain ranges, also there are five villages around the Panchgani which are Dandeghar, Khingar, Godwali, Amral & Taighat. Panchgani is among the must include .....